Task 'installDebug' not found in project ':app'

Question

I get error on my react-native app while I am trying to execute following code

react-native run-android --variant=release

Starting a Gradle Daemon (subsequent builds will be faster)

> Configure project :react-native-firebase
react-native-firebase: using React Native prebuilt binary from /Users/sanglee/Documents/react-native-firebase-starter/node_modules/react-native/android

FAILURE: Build failed with an exception.

* What went wrong:
Task 'installDebug' not found in project ':app'.

I downloaded react-native app from react-native-firebase and cannot even test with android.

Answer 1

This happens because there isn't a keystore present. Follow the steps mentioned in https://reactnative.dev/docs/signed-apk-android

1. You can generate a private signing key using keytool. (instructions vary according to operating system)
2. Edit the file ~/.gradle/gradle.properties or android/gradle.properties, and add the following (replace ***** with the correct keystore password, alias and key password),

 MYAPP_UPLOAD_STORE_FILE=my-upload-key.keystore 
 MYAPP_UPLOAD_KEY_ALIAS=my-key-alias
 MYAPP_UPLOAD_STORE_PASSWORD=*****
 MYAPP_UPLOAD_KEY_PASSWORD=*****

3. Edit the file android/app/build.gradle in your project folder, and add the signing config,

...
android {
    ...
    defaultConfig { ... }
    signingConfigs {
        release {
            if (project.hasProperty('MYAPP_UPLOAD_STORE_FILE')) {
                storeFile file(MYAPP_UPLOAD_STORE_FILE)
                storePassword MYAPP_UPLOAD_STORE_PASSWORD
                keyAlias MYAPP_UPLOAD_KEY_ALIAS
                keyPassword MYAPP_UPLOAD_KEY_PASSWORD
            }
        }
    }
    buildTypes {
        release {
            ...
            signingConfig signingConfigs.release
        }
    }
}
...